Nightmare Queen
by Hiccup's Flower
Summary: Jack doesn't know what to expect when he finds a girl in the woods. Everything about her is so familiar, the way she looks, the way she talks, the way she acts. Dahlia is a teenager. And yes, she can see Jack Frost. She has a gift. But this gift of hers keeps leading her into trouble. And one of these days, Jack won't be there to save her...
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is Hiccup's flower! This is my first FanFiction, so don't kill me. I am looking for a suitable cover for my story. If anyone is interested, just P.M. me or review! Any flames will be used to make my three-layer tiramisu pie. On the other hand, I am looking for **_**constructive**_** criticism! Read, and watermelon on, my friends!**

"Snowball fight!"

Something hit Jamie Bennett in the back of the head. Hard. The impact actually sent him down onto his face. But Jamie was nothing if not a quick recoverer, and he was up and throwing snowballs left and right before you could say "broken nose".

"You're going to get it, Jack Frost!" The young brunette appeared to be screaming at thin air, which got many curious stares from by-passers as they went about their daily business. However, Jamie's friends just gave knowing smiles and bent down to pack more snowballs. All in all, the fight was snowballing into something that would cross town and back, with various kids joining in at times. There was not a place in Burgess left untouched that day.

Jack smiled at his work. Today was going to be a good day, Jack could tell. _Good, yes,_ Jack thought. _But honestly, it is getting a little repetitive. These kids are still the only ones who believe in me, no matter what I try. Maybe if I frosted over more windows….._ Jack was so buried in his thoughts that he didn't notice Jamie sneaking up on him. Nor did he notice Jamie preparing to grab his hoodie. But even if winter spirits can't feel cold, Jack _did_ feel his hood being pulled back and a snowball shoved down his shirt.

"JAMIE! You are SO going to GET IT!" Jack screamed at Jamie, before pretending to chase him, only to send Jamie sliding down an icy slope that had been created for sledding earlier.

"AAAHHH!" Just like that very first day, Jamie was sent down out into the street holding on to his sled for dear life. The only difference was, Jamie could actually see Jack this time and was able to listen to Jack's instructions.

"Bank left! Lean right! Okay, DUCK!" Jack was yelling this last part because some umbrellas had come flying out of someone's car window, and were raining down all around the pair.

Eventually, Jack was able to steer Jamie off the road and over to a safe spot where they could both take a breather. Pippa was the first to reach the two.

"Oh my God, Jamie, are you okay? Jack? Jack? Wait- who's that?" Pippa was sure she had seen someone duck behind a tree, then turn and run off to the lake near Jamie's house. A girl who looked eerily familiar…

Jack turned. "I don't see anybody," He stated. "It must have been just a deer or something like that.

"No, no! I think we should check it out! She looked familiar! I just have to know who it is! Come on!" Pippa was yanking on Jack's arm, and now the other children were getting restless too.

"Alright, alright! Just, follow me okay?" Jack started to walk off into the woods, in the direction Pippa was pointing. Just as he was about to give up and call it a day, he saw a flash of forest green streak by. He started to give chase to the girl, and, being an immortal spirit, he was invariably faster than both the children, and the girl in green. He started to catch up to her, and just as he was about to grab her shoulder, she went sliding away. Jack looked down and smiled. She was now running on top of the frosted lake.

Quickly, to make sure the thing with Emma (Jack's sister) didn't happen again, Jack shot down more ice to reinforce the lake. What Jack didn't realize, that he probably should have, was that the extra ice that was spreading only pushed her harder, so much so that she was knocked off balance and fell. She collided with the ice hard, and was starting to go unconscious.

She muttered one more thing just as Jamie arrived, so Jack wasn't really sure if she was talking to him or to Jamie. Probably Jamie, because Jamie wasn't a part-time invisible spirit. What she did say, however, made Jack's spine go cold. She was so familiar, a memory just out of reach.

"I am Dahlia."

**BTW, reviews make me update faster!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is dedicated to: Elyssa Lou, Audrey Ballantine, Sofia Santiago, and Rachel Paik. Oh, and lunch-buddy-french-fry-provider-cookie-sharer Gabriel. You know who you are! So, I just figured out: instead of updating by reviews, I'll just update every Thursday! (Reviews are always appreciated, though) I MIGHT take story suggestions, but if you want a custom character added, I'm always up for the job!**

**DarkRose: I'm glad you think so; I can't wait to write more!**

**CrystalQueen: I don't know where I am going to go, with this, probably something along those lines.**

**bloodlock: Thank You! You have no idea how much your support means to me!**

**On to the story, and fruitcake on, my friends!**

"Snowball fight!" Jack screamed. I was watching them from behind a tree, and so far they hadn't spotted me yet. I was safe for the time being.

Suddenly, one of Jack's snowballs hit Jamie in the back of the head. I was worried. What if he broke his nose? What if he lost an adult tooth? What if- I was getting increasingly worried. Just as I was about to rush out and blow my cover to help Jamie, he popped up, looking as healthy as ever.

"You're going to get it, Jack Frost!" Jamie started chasing Jack around, ignoring the incredulous stares from by-passers. Many of his friends were with him, and they all smiled at each other before running to help Jamie chase Jack down. Jack had just started an epic snowball fight, which I had to follow _all over Burgess_.

Eventually they slowed down, coming to rest where they had started. A few of the kids were huddling together, whispering about something, but I didn't care. Not until the prodded Jamie forwards with a snowball in his hands. _ This is going to be interesting,_ I thought. Jamie ever so slowly tiptoed forwards and smashed a snowball down Jack's shirt. Jack was stationary at the time, apparently lost in thought, so I thought he deserved it. Never trust a group of kids with a pile of snow.

Next I knew, Jack was chasing Jamie down that familiar sled track. And then it started raining umbrellas. Fan-tas-tic. I went and stood behind a tree near where I knew they would end up. Eventually they crash-landed here, laughing like there was no tomorrow.

Pippa was the first to catch up to them (them being Jack and Jamie) and checked over them like a mother hen. Until she saw me. I know she saw me. She was pointing in my direction, so I knew it was time to run. So I ran. Ran into the forest area near Jamie's house.

I knew she would get Jack caught up in this too, so my only chance was to get a good head start and find a hiding spot. I couldn't let anyone see me, no matter what. At least this was the plan, until Jack spotted me. Then, my only option was to run. And that was no option at all.

I managed to sneak a glance over my shoulder, but I didn't like what I saw. Jack was slowly, but surely, gaining on me. And then I was gliding.

It turned out that while I was running, I had run straight onto the lake near Jamie's house, the one that I knew jack had risen out of. How did I know this? Well, I'll save that for another day. Anyways, I was sliding, not having to do much of the work.

Then Jack reached the shoreline. He must've thought to reinforce the lake with extra ice so I wouldn't fall through, because he was slamming his staff repeatedly on the edge of the ice.

Just as Jamie caught up and stood right next to Jack, magical frost slowly crept over the lake. Eventually it caught up with my sliding feet, knocking me off balance. Oh, and luck of all Hades, I hit my head. As my vision started to go black, I wanted to make sure they at least knew my name. I managed to utter one sentence just as darkness engulfed my vision, barely loud enough for them to hear.

"I am Dahlia."

I woke up in a strange place. It was decorated with silver and black, which happened to be my favorite colors. Books lined the walls, and the bed had a mesh canopy in a deep shade of blue. It was decorated exactly to my style, as if someone here knew me very well. The one thing I didn't like, however, was the red door. Too bright, in my opinion.

Then, almost as if the door had heard me, it changed into a deeper shade of blue, to match my canopy. Strange. I moved to get out of bed when I looked down and noticed what I was wearing. It was a beautiful, beautiful, deep black-blue gown made of the finest silk, and hung down to the floor. The long sleeves were tight, until it reached my elbow where it rippled down in a cascade if fabric. The whole thing shimmered like it had been dipped in stardust. I would never wear it in a million years, because I would never be able to escape secret facilities without flashing my underwear, and because I'd be too afraid of damaging it.

I stepped out into the hallway, and almost fainted again because of it. Sure, it was beautiful, but that's not what shocked me. What shocked me were the _elves and yetis _that were running about. Well, mostly the elves were the ones running, but still. There was also a large man standing in front of some sort of giant glittering globe. He seemed to be ordering the yetis around because -it looked like- the elves were too stupid to do anything useful.

I walked up to him and poked him in the arm to get his attention. He turned and looked down at me kindly. Did I mention he was very tall?

"Excuse me, sir, but where am I? Hang on- where is Jack?" I wanted to see him, because I needed to tell him something important. While I had been talking, I had been habitually twisting my knee-length hair up into a ponytail. When I reached for my ponytail holder that I carried around my wrist, and found it wasn't there, I realized what I was doing and let my hair fall.

The big man looked taken aback when I mentioned Jack's name. Nonetheless, he answered me.

"Jack is busy at Burgess. He is bringing fun to little kids. I should call him and get everyone together, no?"

"Thank you," I said. "That would be lovely."

With this, he turned around. I thought he was ignoring me again, but on closer inspection, he seemed to be turning this strange sort of lever/handle thing. When he had the thing all the way depressed, northern lights started to shine. _So that's what causes them,_ the scientific side of me noticed. Within seconds, strange people started to arrive. Even a giant rabbit. But no Jack. The only one I recognized was

"TOOTH!" I ran screaming towards her and catapulted myself into her arms.

She pulled me in for a close and tight hug while the others stared on in confusion. Tooth started to ramble.

"Oh, hi Dahlia! Oh, it's been too long. I probably should have visited more often. Well, you know. I got busy with the teeth. How are your teeth? Oh, they're beautiful. Have you met everyone yet? Oh, where's Jack when you need him? I tell you, that boy is the world's latest organism alive. At least he has nice teeth. Have you seen his teeth? Oh, they're as white as-"

"Tooth! Calm down," The strange bunny stepped forward and gently cut her off, like Tooth rambled like this a lot. "Wait- did you say this was Dahlia? Like, the legendary Dahlia? That one?"

I was getting kind of annoyed with the way the giant bunny talked about me like I wasn't there, so I interrupted and said "Hello? It's called common courtesy. You know, that small unimportant thing where you don't talk about people right in front of their faces? And ignore them? Do you even have any?"

Just then Jack decided to arrive. _Great timing,_ _Jack. Thanks._ I thought sarcastically. I turned to him and marched right up to his face. "And _where_ were you?"

His annoyed face gave away to a face filled with wonder and disbelief. "You- You can see me? And all of us?" he turned to the others. "She can see us?"

Now was the time to get snarky. "Uh, yeah! I always have and always will. Tooth's my best friend, and I wouldn't have it any other way. She was the_ only_ one I could ever talk to. Forget you all," Tooth gently nudged my side, and I started to remember these other people. Bunny, Sandy, and North. "You never spent any time with me. You see that light? That one is mine! And for a while, it would have gone out, if not for Tooth! So thank her, or you all would have had ONE LESS BELIEVER!"

After my outburst, they all looked at each other with guilty looks on their face. Sandy was the first one to approach me. He patted my shoulder silently and reassuringly. I started to cry.

"Hey, um –Dahlia, is it?- listen. We didn't quite know you existed. But-" Here Jack paused and looked at the others. "Why don't we get you all warmed up? You must be freezing after spending time with me."

"I'm not."

Now Jack was confused. "How are you not cold?" Even he didn't understand.

"Just… watch me." I hated demonstrating my powers, but I guess it was necessary. I turned and ran towards one of the floor-to-ceiling length windows.

And jumped out.

**Cliffy! I know I said I wouldn't post until Thursday, but I just couldn't wait! Thanks again, peoples! Fruitcake on!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, my friends. This is actually going to be the length of most of my chapters, so yeah. Also, I've decided I'll update whenever I want, but you can be rest assured that I will update at least once a week.**

**CrystalQueen: I hate to disappoint, but Dahlia has black hair, and green eyes. This was supposed to be revealed later, though. Haha! XD**

**DarkRose: Thank you! Sorry, but I'm not about to reveal what she can do. Read on!**

**Thank you to all my faithful readers/reviewers! Cupcake on, my friends!**

The first thing I realized as I was falling was that all those who were looking out the window at the time could see my underwear. But then I realized something more important: the dress was blocking my wings. And, as such, I couldn't fly. So, thinking that, I just let myself fall.

I shut my eyes and went limp in midair. I landed hard in the snow, and cushion though it was, the window I had jumped out must have been a thousand feet up. Which means I had broken three ribs, by the feel of it. I held off on my magical healing process, wanting Jack and the others to see it.

Jack was the first one to reach me, having flown out the window shortly after I had jumped. Tooth already knew about my powers, and had waited unconcernedly up in the room. The others waited with her, trusting Jack to bring me back up.

Jack scooped me up with grace, and gently flew back in through this now-infamous window. He gently placed me on a couch after shooing all the elves off it.

"Dahlia, what were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed!" He exclaimed.

I gently reached up and brushed his hair away from his forehead. Bunny, Tooth, Sandy, and North were all crowding around me now, so I made sure I had their attention. I pointed to my dented and defeated chest. "Watch." I commanded. They needed to see this.

I let the healing process begin now, and a flurry of sparks swirled around me. My chest was slowly rising to the level it was supposed to be at, along with repairing the small cuts and gashes I had gotten after shattering the window. I silently directed a stream of sparks at the window, causing the pieces to fly up into the correct spots and reattach themselves seamlessly.

When everything was the way it was supposed to be, the sparks died down, revealing everyone to be staring at me, open-mouthed. Except Tooth. As always, Tooth was the only one clued in.

"Uh, hi?" I tried nervously.

I turned to North. "Can I have a pair of scissors, please?" Still gaping, he nodded. A yeti ran in with a pair of gleaming-sharp scissors, handed them to me and ran out. I stood up, gave them to Tooth, and turned around.

"If you would do the honors, please?" I requested.

Tooth seemed to know what I was thinking, and quickly started slashing away at the back of my dress. Finally. I don't know who changed my clothes earlier, but I assumed it was Tooth, since she was the only other girl and the only one who knew what was going on. I let my wings spread out of the back of my dress. I felt so free. It had been forever since I was allowed to fly, more than two years, in fact.

My wings were identical to Tooth's, except in shades of black, not green. I soared up to the top of the _really high_ ceiling, and Tooth joined me. We spun circles around each other, laughing like sisters.

After a while, we felt it was time to land, and explain things. With a single nod, we descended- slowly. We wanted to stay up there forever. Jack was the first one to recover, and as he so nicely put it, stated:

"Dahlia, what the HELL was that?"

I had no idea how to respond to that. I was born with it? A sea witch cursed my ancestors, saying that the ninety-ninth daughter would be weird? So I just told them the truth and said, "I don't know. But what I do know that I _am_ human, just with wings and healing magic. I am_ alive_."

Everyone flinched at that. Oops.

I continued on. "Well, now I have no place to go. No home to call home. So, I guess I'll be staying here! Oh, and Jack, I need to speak to you." I dragged him out of that room and into mine, and then locked the door.

The first thing he did was ask me if he could see them. I looked at his face, full of enthusiasm and wonder and childish curiosity. He looked so eager, like he would be heartbroken if I said no, so I reluctantly fanned my wings out for him to examine. He put his staff to the side, and started feeling them. Every touch was gentle, so I got less and less worried about him damaging them. As he looked, he kept up a running commentary.

"Wow! These really are just like Tooth's! Except yours like like they've been dipped in black ink. They're really pretty."

Then, out of the blue, he jumped back in shock and surprise.

"What?" I asked. Did I do something? Is he disgusted with them? I knew I should have pretended to be normal-ish. My wings fluttered along with my apprehension, and I self-consciously flattened them against my back until they were practically invisible.

"They- They have a- a pulse!" Oh. I forgot about that small little detail. Poor Jack, he must not have felt life in over three hundred years.

I flipped over backwards, so I was facing him. "Listen, Jack. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, and that I tried to run away earlier, at the lake. I was scared. I was afraid you would find out, and call me a monster- or worse. I didn't mean to keep anything from you. You understand that, don't you? I'm sorry."

He leaned over to me so that our noses were touching. "I understand." That was all he said. And then he kissed me.

All of my senses shorted out. All I could feel was his breath on mine, and his lips on mine. He was cold, and warm, and _cold._ He tasted like peppermint, and fresh snow. My world was spinning. This was my first kiss. He was surprisingly gentle, and this was obviously his first kiss too. Who would he be kissing?

When he pulled away, I noticed his cheeks had a very dark blush on them, but it was blue. Mine were probably flaming red. They sure felt like it.

"Wow." Jack was the first to break the silence. "Listen, Dahlia, I apolo-"

"No need. You don't have to apologize. Please don't. I love you. With all of my heart." Well, the cat's out of the bag now. Oops. I was so embarrassed. I just had to get away. I flew up to the higher windows, pulled one open, and flew out. My only thought was to get away from the scene. My wings were buzzing faster than they ever had before, and that's saying something. These wings of mine were faster than even the tooth fairy's. I was back in Burgess soon enough.

I alighted down on the rock in the middle of the lake, and sat down to think. I felt wetness roll down my cheek, and reached up to wipe it away. I hadn't even realized I was crying. Soon though, I heard the wind whistling and heard someone jump onto the lake. Their footsteps sounded closer and closer, and I felt that someone poke my shoulder.

"Dahlia?" They said.

"Yes, Jack?"

"I love you too."

Over the next few months of my time at the pole, Jack and I grew inseparable. Jack would instigate pranks, I would help execute them, I would start pranks, Jack would finish them. Always on the other Guardians, of course.

Kisses were stolen in secret. No one figured out that we were a couple, yet. And we weren't about to tell them.

The only problem was that since I was still alive and mortal, my body would tire faster. Not as fast as a regular human's, but still. Jack would often have to stop and wait for me to get rid of the stitches in my side. But never with flying. In the air, _I _would often have to wait for_ Jack._ Nothing could beat these wings!

Eventually, I began to want to visit Burgess again, and Jack wanted to go, too. We both missed Jamie and the other kids. But then came the question. Should we tell them?

Jack: "We should. We'd never keep anything from Jamie. Besides, that kid sees all. It's freaky."

Me: "Like he saw you? Anyways, if we tell them, we'd have to tell the other Guardians, too."

Jack: "But if we did, North would give us a big giant cake, and a celebration worthy of a new guardian. (Imitates North) 'We all very proud. Now Jack be no longer lonely!' (Shudders) Never!"

Me: "Just for that impression, I'm going to tell him. That was awesome!"

Jack: "Never!"

Me: (death glare)

Jack: "Fine"

So that very day, we told the Guardians. Sandy's reaction was priceless. Out of dream sand, he mimed his eyebrows exploding in an atomic bomb, with mini mushroom clouds going off at his hairline. I definitely needed a camera for that.

Bunny said, "Now there's two of ya?" I could tell he thought the world did _not_ need a girl version of Jack running about the place.

The day after, we left for Burgess. North had given me something more suitable for flying in, jeans, and a t-shirt. Tooth had again cut wing-slits in the back.

While we were flying, I realized something.

"Jack, we need to land." I said.

"What is it now?" He complained. "I thought you just peed!"

I blushed. "Ew, Jack, no, nothing like that. I just realized, what if Jamie is out playing when we get there? He can't see my wings!"

"Yes, he can." Jack said in confusion.

"No, I mean we can't let him! You have to be carrying me when we land."

We landed at the nearest empty lot. Jack helped me flatten my wings to my back and tied them down with a large strip of cloth from the bottom of my t-shirt. That was very awkward for both of us, as I had to remove my shirt to do it. Luckily I was wearing a bra underneath. Still awkward, though.

Once we got that settled, Jack picked me up bridal-style and carried me the rest of the way to Burgess, with me clinging to his neck for dear life. I wouldn't be able to catch myself if he let me fall. I saw him silently smirking out of the corner of my eyes.

Soon after, we touched down in Burgess. Jack set me down, and I yanked on his ear playfully. All the other kids, Jamie included, ran up and surrounded Jack.

"Jack! Jack!"

"Jack, where were you?"

"Jack, it's been sooooooooooo boring here without you"

"Jack, Jack, snow snow snow snow snow!" (Sophie)

"Hey, you guys! Yeah, I'm sorry I was gone," Jack looked at me pleadingly. I mouthed 'go on' to him. "Well, you see… I was kind of busy… hanging out with my girlfriend." At the end, he winced, as if expecting a horrible blow. In a way, it came. All of the kids fell silent, except for Sophie, who was playing in the snow, happily unaware.

They all stared at him, mouths hanging low, just like the Guardians' had done. In the end, Jamie stepped forward and started asking Jack questions.

"Who is she? Can we meet her? Why didn't you tell us? Where is she now? Is she a spirit?"

I saw Jack turn back to face me, indicating that I should explain. Thanks, Jack. Lazy immortal spirits will be the death of me.

"Um, hello?" I tried. The group spun and faced me like hungry piranhas. "I'm… Dahlia. Jack's girlfriend. Nice to meet you?" Again, Jack saw my discomfort, and again smirked. He would pay for that later. "Yes, I'm that girl from the lake." I said, seeing questioning glances and half-recognition dawning on their features.

I dragged everyone except Jack closer to me, so that we formed a huddle, making sure that Jack wouldn't overhear us.

"Now, who wants to dominate him in a snowball fight?" I asked.

"But, Jack's like, the _king of snowballs!_" Monty pointed out.

"Well the, I guess we'll just have to beat him at his own game." I said. "GO!"

Everybody started running off in different directions, packing up snowballs. Jack didn't notice, he was too busy playing with Sophie. We all silently snuck forwards when…

"Hey, what's on your back, Dahlia?" Since Cupcake was the one right behind me, the breeze had separated my wing slits wide enough that she could have seen something, and she did. Jamie and his friends started crowding around my backside, and Jack finally took notice. He came running over. Everyone dropped their snowballs.

Suddenly a loud ripping sound filled the air.

"Jack?" I asked. "What's going on back there?"

He turned to me, with a half-smile on his face. "Well, I guess you can fly now."

It turned out that the band holding my wings to my back had ripped apart. So now everyone knew. Oh well. I was free! I realized that I didn't care anymore. I could fly again!

I soared out into the open air, arms outstretched and a maniac's grin on my face. Not caring who saw me. Until I nearly collided with a passenger plane. I hadn't actually realized I had gone up this high.

One of the plane's wings had clipped my own, and I started falling, down, down, down, back to the ground.

I crashed hard into the earth. This was too much for me to heal at once, and I was starting to go unconscious, with a big chunk of wing missing. The last thing I saw was Jamie and Jack's worried faces, close to my own. Then I started to dream.

But these weren't normal dreams. No, these were nightmares. Pitch.

**I forgot to mention, this story takes place after rotg. So yeah. Just FYI. Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! Thank you all for reading! I've gotten so many views over the past few days! I really owe you! Thank you to all of the people who keep reviewing! Also, I would like to apologize for not updating. I was dragged out on a family trip to Vermont for eight days with no internet, I hope you'll find it in your hearts to forgive me. Don't forget to review! And to those who did:**

**BloodJewel: Thank you! Pitch really doesn't do much; I just needed him as a face for my evils.**

**DarkRose: yeah, it took me a while to figure out. I'm sorry if it's not up to full potential, but I was a bit rushed at the time.**

**CrystalQueen: That is actually a very clever idea! I might end up using that later in the story, so thanks!**

**Chili on, my friends!**

"Hello, Dahlia. It is so… _nice_ to see you again." A voice in the dark sneered. "You used to be one of my most avid believers. Why did you ever stop?"

I recognized this voice instantly, from all of my worst nightmares, taunting me, teasing me.

"What do you want?"

Pitch Black gave a sad sigh, still hidden in the shadows, where I couldn't see him. It sounded weary and tired, and it worried me. Not that I'd ever let him know that.

"What do you think? I want you. I had a family, and a life. I was a war general, feared _and respected_ by all. Now, I am just feared. I want a family again. I hate being hated."

This was a side of Pitch I had never seen before. Sweet, and caring, and- lost? I didn't know what to say. So I just sat there, not saying anything. Silently hating…

He continued. "I'll give you three days to decide. After that, I'm coming for you. You can decide if it will end well or not."

"Decide what?"

Pitch chuckled, and he moved forwards just enough that I could see his eyes and smile.

"Why, if you are to be my Nightmare Queen."

.:l-*-l:.

"Dahlia. _Dahlia._ Wake _up._"

Tooth's familiar voice helped me regain my senses. I was vaguely aware that I was back in North's workshop, with all of the Guardians' worried faces huddled once more around my own. Why did I have to keep getting in to these things? Honestly, sometimes I am so stupid it hurts. Literally.

"Back off, all of you. I'm fine, really I am, just give me some space." I said. This was getting kind of irritating, actually. Didn't they know the meaning of personal space? Apparently not.

I stood up. Everyone was looking at me with a fearful and guilty look in their eyes, like they had done something wrong and were afraid of a punishment.

"Alright guys, spill the strawberry sauce, what's up?"

They all shared guilty glances with each other. Bunny shoved Tooth forwards. "You explain." He said.

"Uh, well! Dahlia, you see…" Tooth started nervously. "About your wings… well, we… hadtocutthemoff."

I was numb. I just stood there staring at the wall for who knows how long. I couldn't fly anymore. I couldn't _fly_ anymore.

I left. I just couldn't handle their stupidity one second longer! They conveniently "forgot" that I had _freaking healing powers_, and _cut my freaking wings off_! Now I was just some land bound human, who can't heal her wings because they just _went down the freaking garbage disposal._ Heaven help me.

I went to Burgess, and sat on a cold rock in the middle of a frozen lake that was still stable in the middle of summer.

"Don't you see, Dahlia?" A smooth voice called out to me. "They will never help you, even when they try to. I however-"

"Shove it, Pitch." Honestly, I was getting tired of this same old spiel over and over again. "Leave me alone." Only problem was, a little voice in my head was starting to agree. "_You shove it too, mystical voice of idiocy in my head. Soon enough I'll be like Maximum Ride . 'There's a pot of gold under every rainbow, Dahlia'. Sheesh." _I thought to myself.

"You want to be alone? Then _be alone_! And I'll personally make sure you stay that way. **Forever.**" Pitch conjured an arrow of black sand, which I knew to be lethal. The only reason it didn't kill Sandy was because he was already a spirit. Pitch took aim and—

Fired.

No Guardians to stop him now, he made a clean shot at my heart that pierced me through and through, and melted into shadow with a smile.

I knew I had a chance of saving myself, if the Guardians came and rescued me soon. I had just enough power to stop the bleeding for a short while.

Instead, I let myself die. I was done with living. I was done with life.

My last thought, fittingly enough, was '_Rainbow….'_

A snowflake landed on my dead eyes.

.:l-*-l:.

**Jack's PoV (back at the pole)**

Confusion and hurt graced Dahlia's slender face. One could only imagine what she must be thinking. I certainly couldn't. But what struck me most painfully was the angry glare she gave me before storming out the door and using one of Bunny's tunnels to get home. It wasn't my fault that Tooth told her in the sharpest, most painful way possible that her wings were gone.

"Guys, be a little crueler next time, why don't you?"

"I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't know what to say to that poor girl." Tooth said, almost sorrowfully. As if.

"Well," I said. "Let's go get her." Then, I felt something incredibly painful shoot through the area where my heart is, and stumbled over, weak. "We have to go. NOW!"

Dahlia could be hurt, maybe just injured, or possibly even dead. I grabbed my staff, brushed my hair out of my face, and launched into the air. I knew of only one place Dahlia would go to, and that was the Burgess lake.

I saw a still body that could only be hers. Too still though, too still and too red. And with a hole where her heart should be.

It was true. She was gone. My beautiful young flower- dead. Black sand littered the wound, creating a gruesome smiley face. So this was all Pitch's doing.

Pitch rose up behind me, expecting me to be weakened in my grief and ready to take control of me. Instead, I was strengthened in my rage. Pitch glared at me.

"Jack Frost? What do you have to do with this _girl_?" He sneered. I kicked him as hard as I could, and my foot came in contact with his ribs. I think I heard a snap. Pitch grimaced.

"Oh, so this is how you want to play it? Very well…" He grinned, and conjured up his nightmare-sand scythe, and started swinging it at me.

I flew up to the cloud line, and started making it snow heavily. Nobody (except me) would possibly be able to see through the snow. Pitch shouldn't be able to see me. He was standing back on the ground, spinning warily, like he was looking for me through the snow. I dropped like a stone and landed hard on Pitch's head. He dropped to the ground, but recovered quickly. Now that he knew where I was, he was able to grab onto my foot and pull me down. He knocked my staff away with a laugh.

"So, you want to have a little fun, Jack?" He exchanged his scythe for a broadsword and started slashing at my now-exposed body. I ducked under a particularly strong swing, and grabbed my staff. It gave off a harsh glow once it was reconnected with my arm. I struck Pitch as hard as I could on top of his head.

Pitch Black froze solid, much the same way Anna did in Frozen, but obviously much more painfully. I tapped him again, and he shattered, then melted. I have just removed Pitch Black from the world. Permanently.

I turned back to Dahlia. She was looking pale, and her blood was spreading across the ice like a gruesome crimson flower. I had done this to her. I let her leave, let Pitch kill her because I was too far away to help. It was all my fault.

But then I noticed something. Her hair was growing, and fast. It went from a cute pixie cut (she had it cut upon her return to Burgess) to reaching her ankles in about five minutes, where it stopped. It also got blacker, going from coal, to shimmering midnight. Her wound was shrinking, getting smaller and smaller, until it was entirely closed up, healed, gone. But she stayed motionless, dead.

Then the other Guardians arrived, with a not-too-happy (read: sick-like-he's-about-to-barf) looking Bunny in North's sleigh. I could only guess if they had used force to get him in, or he lost some sort of bet.

"Who's this, mate?" Bunny asked, once he got all his senses back.

"_She,_" I muttered, somewhat darkly. "Is Dahlia."

Dahlia started stirring once she heard North's booming laughter. I was somewhat relieved. But only somewhat.

Her eyes opened, revealing eyes the color of flames, and flickering like them, too. I wouldn't be surprised if they glowed in the dark. It was a huge contrast from her beautiful emerald eyes, although this pair could also stare into your soul. She stood up, batting away my hand when I went to help her. She seemed pissed. She swayed for a bit on her feet, then suddenly fell on her butt. She stood up growling.

"Stop laughing, North." Her voice was as smooth as Pitch's, yet still as sharp as a whip. If I hadn't seen her transformation myself, I would've never guessed it was Dahlia. Confusion crossed her face soon after, and she started muttering "North, North, North," to herself, trying the word out.

It was North's turn to fall over.

"Who _are _you?" He wondered aloud, like he did with me, much in the same tone.

"I," She said haughtily, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Such a Dahlia move. "Am Obscurité."

Beside us, Sandy gasped. Silently. He started a flurry of signing so fast, only Tooth could read it because she was part hummingbird. Then Tooth gasped also.

"Obscurité means 'darkness' in French, apparently. Who would have guessed?" Tooth gave a nervous chuckle.

We looked back to where Obscurité seemed to be commanding things. Much the way Tooth would, except she wasn't naming teeth, and she was talking to thin air. Then she turned to us.

"Please, though, I insist, call me Dahlia." Well, that certainly made things easier. For me, at least.

Tooth seemed to find Dahlia's commandeering offensive. "You better not be making fun of the tooth fairy." She warned, her feathers getting all ruffled up. She looked ready for a fight.

Aside from minor confusion and a flash of recognition that quickly passed, Dahlia didn't seem perturbed in the least. "On the contrary. Did you know, that fear of teeth is called Odontophobia?" She turned to Bunny. "And that Ovophobia is fear of eggs?"

Bunny looked like he just had a heart attack.

"And, Jack, fear of snow and ice is called Cryophobia."

I must have looked like I had a heart attack too. Dahlia grinned. With each name she said, she would look momentarily confused. She must have been suffering with memory loss the way I did for over three hundred years, until the Pitch revolution, as I thought of it.

"There's actually a _thing_ for that!?" I shrieked. She just smirked, and spun like a ballerina, her hair whipping out and creating a shimmering arc behind her. She started singing something about different kinds of phobias, including one weird thing called Geniophobia.

Bunny stage-whispered to us. "What is wrong with that human?"

They hadn't seen her transformation. Right, time to mess with them. This was going to be fun. I gave an evil internal laugh and quickly made my innocent face.

"Maybe because she isn't." I offered. The looks on their faces were priceless, especially North's.

"Vhat do you mean, not human?" North asked. He raised a hairy eyebrow.

I explained to them that our Dahlia, the one who had the wings, was still missing, and that I'd felt pain in my chest and found her dead, and saw her transform into the spirit right beside us. "Who only –barely– remembers our names. Kind of like basic facial recognition." I concluded. We all glanced over at Dahlia, version 2.0. To our surprise, she was getting a darker and darker tint like she was being layered under shadows, until all we could see was a spinning silhouette. Then, all of a sudden, she popped back into normal view, grinning like a Cheshire cat, minus the stripes.

We all had heart attack faces.

She giggled, unaware of her stunt. Then she said, "Fear of laughing is Gelotophobia." She giggled some more, snorted, then collapsed on the ice in a full-blown fit of hysterical laughter. "At least she's safe from that." I said. Dahlia picked herself up and ran over. We all stared at her, confused as to what she wanted now. She gave me a long and hard kiss on the lips, and said, "Fear of kissing is called Philemaphobia. That's the one thing I always know. People's greatest fears. Yours is that people will never believe in you, and you'll never know why. Why you? Why were you chosen to be like this? Well, fear not. For the answer to that is right… here!" She tapped my chest, near my heart, then ran off and danced on the ice some more, still giggling. She seemed to giggle a lot now. Tooth was blushing furiously, although she hadn't been involved in any of that. Bunny was looking away, ears flattened. Everyone stared at me, shocked, but no one was more shocked than I was. Although I was shocked for a completely different reason. How did she know that that was exactly what Pitch said? It was freaky- no, it was scary. North was clearly concerned about her comment on my fears. "Jack? Is it true?" I had forgotten that they weren't there when Pitch had said those things to me. Those comments held officially no value to them whatsoever, and therefore he job was left to me to explain. "No. that was just something Pitch told me a long time ago, right after I had tucked Sophie in, you know. That time." Bunny's face soured visibly at this. Dahlia finally stopped giggling and ran back to the rest of us. Again. She also seemed to like running back and forth repeatedly. "I want you to meet Pita." Dahlia appeared to be stroking empty air. A Nightmare started materializing under her fingertips, curling into being. Everyone instantly went on defensive mode. The Nightmare snickered something in Dahlia's ear. Dahlia slapped it on the rump. "Now, don't say that about them. These are friends. Go on, say hi." The Nightmare- Pita- started walking forwards. "AND BE NICE!" Dahlia added. It bowed its head to us. Sandy was the first one to touch it, and it started to turn gold. And it screamed. Dahlia rushed forwards. "No, don't do that! You're hurting it!" its pain was obvious now, and Sandy backed up ashamedly. She started petting its neck, and it turned back to its original black color. It came slowly back to us and Sandy tried petting it again, but he made sure not to turn it into a dream. It seemed to like Sandy, and soon we were all crowding around it. "Dahlia?" I asked. "Yes?" "Why is it called Pita?" "Oh, that's easy. It's because she's often a pain in the-" Dahlia got cut off as more Nightmares came over to us, so that soon there was one for each of us. Pita went back to Dahlia, who started discussing something heatedly with the mare. All of a sudden, Bunny stood up straight. He shooed off the Nightmares and sent them back to Dahlia. After making sure Dahlia couldn't listen in, he said, "Is it just me, or is Dahlia's command over those Nightmares freaky. It's like she's their new controller." That made me think of videogames for a moment. North volunteered to take her back to the pole, minus the Nightmares. We agreed to meet up in the lobby. We all split up and went our separate ways, to make sure our homes/residences were safe before heading to our meeting place.

.:l-*-l:.

**Obscurité's PoV (back at the pole)**

They made me give up my beautiful Nightmares! I was forced to leave them to wherever they go when I'm not there, and North took me to the pole in his sleigh. I don't know how I know him, but I recognize him just as well as I know my list of phobias. And there are quite a few of them. I'm assuming amnesia is fairly normal for new spirits, because they all kept giving me pitying looks.

When we got to the pole, I was in awe of my surroundings. It's huge, yes, but what really got me was that it's so familiar. I didn't have much time to gawk, though, because as soon as we got there, North took me to his office.

The door locked itself, and North offered me cookies, which I declined.

He stared at me long and hard, and I wanted to know just what was going on in his mind.

Since he wasn't talking, but I had questions, I decided to go ahead and ask the most obvious one.

"Who am I?"

North sat down in one of those wheelie office chairs.

"Well, I don't really know," He said. "Jack says you're Dahlia, and you want us to call you Dahlia. You act like a Dahlia we used to know. Maybe if you tell us your powers that you know of, we can go through who you aren't."

So I sat there for half an hour rattling off what I knew. I got off topic a lot, but that really can't be helped, can it? Just as I was finishing up, Jack and the other spirits started to get here. North got up to tell them what his suspicions were, and they all edged closer. Tooth, the bird-like fairy, was shoved to the front, as if to be the bearer of bad news. Most likely.

"Obscurité," She gulped. "You are probably… the new Nightmare Queen."

I hated the sound of that, like a lost memory. To me, it sounded like murder.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! Happy new year's! Okay, so I'm just now realizing that I have based this whole story off a dream I once had, and that shocks me. I had that last chapter ready before I went to Vermont, but then internet was down, giving me over a week to think. When I got back, I made some edits, and posted, then got three reviews in one day. Think the universe is trying to say something? Haha, that's life for you. P.C. is supposed to mean Phobiatric Commander. That basically is a leader of a group of Nightmares, then there's a leader of the P.C.'s and the leader of those leaders is Dahlia. I think the Mongols came up with that idea.**

**CrystalQueen: I definitely will do that. Thank you for continuously reviewing! I really appreciate the continued support.**

**DarkRose: I hadn't meant to do that. Trust me, Dahlia is 100% original. I had to google it, but you're right, the likeness is remarkably similar. Except Dahlia doesn't wear a purple dress.**

**BloodJewel: He'll get right on that. **

**Mango on, my friends!**

The Guardians were really nice about everything. I knew they were walking on eggshells around me, but I didn't care. They showed me to my room, and left me alone for the night. I was fine with being alone, except for that boy, Jack. The broken looks he kept sending my way baffled me, like there was some lost love between us, forgotten inside jokes and happy memories. It was too much for me. I recognized everything, but only vaguely, as if I had seen it once, a long time ago, through a stranger's eyes. A soft whinny by my side snapped me out of my thoughts.

I looked to my side and saw Pita.

"**What now? You can't go dissolving all over the place. That Jack Frost obviously likes you. Go ahead and be bold.**" Pita was very insistent on the fact that Jack and I were destined mates, and kept lobbying for me to go for him. And for the dissolving bit, the Nightmares had their own sort of language, and words applied to sand were replaced with other words.

I silently directed P.C. Ayla and her group (one of the larger groups) to a Chinese slumber party.

"Pita, this isn't about destinies. I don't _truly_ know anything. I'm a newborn, technically." I responded. Despite it being pitch black outside, I felt wide awake and full of energy, and could see clearly. I guess I was nocturnal.

Pita's idea was to experiment with some powers that I haven't used yet. I guess it couldn't be all bad, I needed to know defense, and I needed something to pass the time.

I waved my hand without deciding on anything, letting my magic choose its own course. A newborn Nightmare filly came up through cracks in the stone floor. Pita walked over and nuzzled it, then turned towards me, her eyes clearly saying '_See?'_. Did I mention all Nightmares were girls?

The filly walked over towards me, wanting to investigate this non-Nightmare. As soon as her muzzle connected with mine, an electric shock like fire traveled up my spine and exploded in my mind. The filly's body seemed to expand and get absorbed into my skin, or maybe I absorbed into it.

Because where there once was a cross-legged girl and a small horse, stood a powerful and commanding mare. Her- or should I say my- breath huffed in and out. I was easily distinguished from other Nightmares, however. I was at the very least two feet taller, and I kept my human(ish?) eyes.

I knew what I had to do to return to my original state. I pushed down the Nightmare form, like pushing down a wine cork under water. The Nightmare around me evaporated, leaving just me and Pita, although I knew I could easily call her up again.

I leaned up against a shadowed wall with a full intent of resting, when the world spun around me and I was in another shadow, across my bedroom, hovering over my bed. I had three thoughts to follow this: How did Pitch do this all the time? I can hover? And, where are these thoughts coming from? The memory of Pitch was fleeting, and only came with nine words.

"Why, if you are to be my Nightmare Queen."

.:l-*-l:.

When Tooth came for me in the morning, I was still mulling over that fleeting glimpse at another life I could have possibly had. She literally had to drag me to the non-breakfast table (spirits don't need to eat to live[although Dahlia doesn't know this yet]). It appeared the other Guardians had stayed overnight as well, and were now in a heated debate of Easter vs. Christmas. I laughed.

All motion and arguments ceased, and heads swung my way.

Jack was the first to speak up. "Dahlia?"

"Yes, that is me." I grinned.

I walked straight up and pulled out a chair for myself, right in between Bunny and Jack. I made myself a bowl of lasagna (which went everywhere when I tried to handle it), and promptly fell face-first into it, asleep. I _have_ been up all night, and the day before.

.:l-*-l:.

**Jack's PoV**

When her face hit that disgusting mess of a meal, my first impulse was to laugh. Then she started sliding sideways, like she was off balance. Just as she was about to fall out of her chair, her finger dragged across the shadow under her bowl, and she vanished into darkness.

A terrified scream resounded across the dining hall, out in the globe room, only to be cut off suddenly. We all shot out there as fast as we could, worried about Dahlia. What we didn't expect to see was Dahlia lying on a cushion of black sand in midair, curling up with a Nightmare as a pillow. A Nightmare that was definitely Pita, the only Nightmare without a streamer-like mane. It seemed, however, that Dahlia couldn't maintain the height, even in sleep, because the sand cushion (similar to a Fuff™. It's a thing! Google it!) was slowly drifting downwards, near one of the yeti, who was painting so busily, he hadn't noticed a thing.

Sandy was able to pull it over to us, despite the sand being black. We all checked her for injuries, then North ran to get a napkin for her face.

He came back a little out of breath, as if he had run all the way to the nearest city to grab one. He silently handed it to me, and I rubbed her face as gently as I could.

She started stirring soon after, and I was worried it was my fault. However, when she sat up wide awake and glared at me, that feeling multiplied, like I was to blame for starting world war two when she was a peace activist.

She stood up and daintily stepped off the sand-fuff, and it disappeared behind her, although Pita stayed. She stroked it softly, still glaring, only at me.

"Tooth," She declared. "I have decided I would like my memories. I will meet you at the tooth palace's pond."

She marched forwards and brushed past us, then stuck a finger under the banister. Like before, she was layered with darkness, but this time she didn't reappear. She melted out of being, and one could only guess where she was.

.:l-*-l:.

**Tooth's PoV**

I didn't understand what Dahlia hated about Jack. He had amazing teeth!

Anyways, after she stopped glaring at _only him_ and left, I said my goodbyes and left, to find the right memory box for this girl. At the tooth palace, I summoned all of the boxes that had ever belonged to a 'Dahlia' searching for one that had similar facial structure, because at that point, it was all I had to go by. I felt a particularly odd one calling me. It contained all of the right teeth, and it had the right picture, it was hers. I remembered this box clearly, but not for any of the aforementioned reasons.

This box was silver. I had no idea what that meant, and neither did any of my fairies. It was the only one that wasn't gold. All of the other boxes had golds in shades varying on their personalities, but that was the only silver one. And it shone, like quicksilver did.

I brought it down to the pond, where Dahlia had clearly been waiting a while. She was currently inspecting the mural, which people only ever did when bored out of their minds. She turned to face me, and held out a hand, silently, with an eyebrow raised. I passed it to her, and she sat, _sat, in the__** middle of the lake**_, right where she was, and started reliving her life.

.:l-*-l:.

**Dahlia's PoV**

"_Oh Dahlia, what are we going to do with you?" My mother wondered. I simply grinned, and held up the book I was currently reading. My mother slapped her forehead._

_One of my younger sisters wandered in, asking for a cookie. When she was denied with a slap to the face and a shout of "Impertinent little brat!", she ran upstairs screaming and crying. I glared at my mom (I had a lot of practice glaring) and went to go comfort her. When my mother's back was turned, I grabbed two cookies and went up to comfort her._

"_Hey, now, what's wrong?" I asked._

_She stared at me for a moment, tears in her eyes, and said, "I do believe you already know the answer to that." She was a very sophisticated eight year old._

_I smiled, cookies hidden safely in my pocket. "I do, but if you'll tell me then maybe I'll understand where you're coming from better."_

"_Well," She sighed. "Your mother denied me the best treat known to man, or in my case, woman." Notice how she's my mother here?_

"_Maybe she did, but I won't." I held out both cookies to her._

_She took them eagerly, gratitude shining in her eyes. She gave me a hug and mumbled around a mouthful of cookie crumbs, "You're the best sister ever."_

_I pulled out my movie player, the one I kept hidden from mom, and put in __Rise of the Guardians__, the movie. After it ended, she asked me a small question. "In an alternate universe, do you think they're real? The Guardians?"  
><em>

_Flames were crackling all around us. I had my sister on my back, piggy-back style. It was a race against time, to see if we could get out of our house alive. The desperation in the air was almost tangible._

_Just then, a burning beam crashed down across our path blocking one of the exits to the room. My sister screamed, and held me tighter. This wouldn't have been a problem (the exit thing) if we didn't have to go through a line of fire to get the the other door. The flames edged closer, and I decided it was now or never. I ran, picking up speed, and leapt through the flames. One of my pant legs caught, but I didn't have time to worry about it._

_As I leapt, the force of liftoff was enough to knock my sister off my back on the other side of the fire, away from the doorway. She screamed at me. "GO!" I didn't want to leave her there, and was prepared to get her when the wood above the door started to crack. She reached through the flamed, and pushed me through the door as the wood collapsed. She was trapped. _

_I started digging through the wood, not caring about the splinters. Flames raged, but I needed me sister. Then I saw a jagged piece of blood-soaked wood, with the necklace my sister was wearing, a diamond-encrusted snowflake. I grabbed it in my fist, and turned and ran._

_I raced down the stairs, and burst through the front door just as the building collapsed._

_That was the last I ever saw of my beautiful sister, the girl who believed in everything._

_A column of moonlight was shining down on me. I was being offered a choice, standing at a crossroads._

"_**I can take you away from all of this.**__" The moon seemed to be saying._

_I just stood there, silently, and nodded._

_The trees seemed to blend and swirl together, and everything went black._

_I was in a new neighborhood when I woke up. Kids were playing out in the streets. I turned and saw the wind blow a book out a brunette's hands, coincidentally titled __Mysterious Times: They're Out There__. I gasped, and right on cue, a white haired teen with a shepherd's staff landed behind the brunette and tilted his head._

_I shook my head, and ran away; I couldn't deal with this anymore. And, to make things worse, my backpack got uncomfortable on my back, like something was sandwiched in between. So I left that place, knowing what would happen in two days. What would happen when Jack refused Pitch's offer. When Pitch was stepping on the lights, there were two he left, two he didn't get. One he couldn't get, and one he didn't find. Jamie wasn't the last light after all._

Tears were falling down my face. I just relived my sister's death all over again. It was just as painful, if not more so, knowing I had forgotten her sacrifice.

My hand unconsciously went to that diamond snowflake around my neck.

Nightmares trotted slowly over to me, concerned. One of them, Nashi, offered to take me to a place only they knew about, and I was touched by the Nightmares' caring. They led me to a place that looked like Pitch's lair, only more suited to me. It all shimmered slightly, like I was dreaming, and the maze of stairs and cages was replaces with cute furniture that was big enough for horses. I instantly loved it, and felt right at home here in the dark. It was perfect.

I needed to apologize to Jack, and to everyone, for my stupid bimbo behavior. I acted like a blonde school girl.

_But why? _A voice in my head said. _You didn't do anything. You were just a newborn. If anything, they should apologize to you. No- they should bow._ And although I hated to admit it, I started to agree. I remembered their neglect for me, how they just gave up on me, although I was always a part of them, subtly. I hated the Guardians.

Well, I'd give them a show they wouldn't forget.

I called P.C. Ayla, P.C. Lorain, and P.C. Viva. They all had the largest groups, and were some of the last Nightmares left that were with Pitch during his attacks.

I figured that they could tell me what he did wrong, and could help me attack, and win. The Guardians needed to pay for their mistakes.

My hair lifted up behind me like I was underwater, and my eyes glowed. I was ready for attack. Now, I just needed enough Nightmares.

.:l-*-l:.

**Jack's PoV**

Tooth came back flustered and flying like a hummingbird on crack, erratically and quick. I flew up there and slowed her down, and brought her down to the other Guardians.

"Tooth, what happened. Did Dahlia remember? Anything?" I asked. I was concerned that Tooth had come back flying alone.

Tooth nodded. "Yes," She said. "She remembers it all. And I saw her memories with her, Jack, they're terrible!"

"Can you show us?" Bunny asked.

Tooth swallowed and nodded slowly. They must really be bad if she was so hesitant. Tooth flew around us all, tapping our foreheads.

I was shocked. Was she really from another dimension where we were just stories? And she still believed in us? I asked this out loud, then thought of another question.

"Tooth? Where did you get her teeth from?" I asked.

"Apparently they just appeared. No wonder the box was silver. She isn't from here." The last part was said more to herself than anything. Everyone else seemed surprised by this news, but I didn't care. Until I remembered that _all_ of the boxes were gold.

"Well, where is Dahlia?" North inquired.

Tooth visibly blanched, then said, "Surrounded by bad magic and evil influences. We may have lost her to Eddy."

**Eddy btw is E.D., or Everything Dangerous. For the story, I'm making him and actual physical being. Have fun!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you all for reading, and enjoy your back to school! If you are at that age anyways….**

**CrystalQueen: Yeah, so it took a while to figure out, but I think I have it. So basically, when Jack's near her she'll revert to good, but when he leaves she'll go back to plotting. No more spoilers for you!**

**DarkRose: Yeah, I totally see your point for that one. I still haven't decided what she wears, though. Want to help with ideas? You can pm me pics (If that's possible, I still haven't got this entirely figured out…) ; )**

**Grenadine on, my friends**

The Sandman seemed to be busier than usual. Instead of dreamless sleep, every single kid _in the world_ was having a dream they surely wouldn't forget. Dahlia smiled to herself. This only made her job of collecting Nightmares for her easier. Like, so easy that if she got to all the kids in the world tonight, and maybe a few adults too, she'd be done. Exhausted for a few days to the point of being comatose, but then she'd be ready. But one thing didn't make sense. Why? Why would Sandy waste his energy like that? It was almost like they knew what she wanted to do and was helping her. This was COMPLETELY stupid. Aren't Guardians supposed to be good? #Whatever.

Dahlia didn't understand the rage of hashtags. It was like a mini tic-tac-toe board.

But still.

This was too easy.

.:l-*-l:.

**Sandy's PoV (at last! ; ) )**

I was just heading over to North's for more eggnog, (That stuff is mysteriously addicting. Too bad the cups are so small.) When I felt it. It wasn't small, but it was from a feeling that was usually just an annoyance. It was the feeling of a dream being turned into a nightmare. Usually on such a small scale, like tiny pinpricks, but this time I nearly fell off my cloud because it felt global.

So it was starting. North's plan was falling into effect. I needed to get to Santoff Clausen, to alert North. He would be pleased.

I concentrated on the feeling of power at my gut, and summoned it up to change the fluffy cloud into a sleek personal airplane for speed's sake. This was urgent news, obviously.

.:l-*-l:.

**A Random Gang Girl (Who May Turn Out To Bo Important)**

I motioned the Poisoned Lilies forwards. Our nightly missions were getting more and more ridiculous. We were trying to take down our rival group, a group of delinquent talentless boys. They kept shifting base, however, which is the only reason they were untraceable. They were essentially on the run, and as noisy as elephants. How they managed not to be caught on their diurnal ventures was beyond me.

But they kept catching us because of our new recruit, forcing us to take more and more crazy measures to take them down. So tonight I left the newbie at our _permanent_ base having one of the elites train her in stealth. The rest of the elites went with me, because I was sick of anyone imperfect- actually, everyone- right now.

We silently pulled out our grappling hooks and swung them up, up to the roof, then shimmied up them. About halfway up, we kicked in the windows of tonights abandoned warehouse (so cliché!). we all landed on the catwalk of the second floor, the one hugging the walls. We looked down expecting them to be asleep deeply, so we could cut their throats. Hey, don't look at me like that! This job gets murderous! That's what makes it fun.

But what we saw was all of them tossing and turning, sweating through their sheets and moaning. They were all collectively having a Nightmare. No matter. We could always hold down their heads.

We dropped down to the first level, to where those _boys_ were asleep in sleeping bags. I motioned the Lilies forwards, and we all pulled out our knives. As one, we picked a boy, and stabbed their throats quickly and cleanly, then pulled out one of their arms to the side. We carved our symbol into their flesh, then bust out the doors. I stuck around, noticing some odd shiny black sand around their heads, the exact shade our leader loved so much. I stuck some in a bag, then ran up to the front, claiming my position as captain, to start the return trip.

Emma walked up to me, and behind us, everyone paired up to talk about this escapade. I raised an eyebrow to Emma, silently asking what she wanted.

"I miss Dahlia." She sighed.

"We all miss my older sister. Why are you bringing this up now?" I asked.

"She started us. The Poisoned Lilies. Dangerous flowers, like her."

"Is that all?"

"She hasn't returned from her mission."

My eyebrow rose again. "And? You keep saying things we all know."

"What of the Nightmare sand?" That caught my attention.

"How did you see it? Wait- Nightmare sand?" I asked.

She nodded. "My brother used to tell me stories about the Bogeyman. He had magic sand that gave Nightmares. Isn't it suspicious that it happens to be Dahlia's favorite color? It used to be duller."

"What are you saying?"

"It's kind of obvious what happened to Dahlia now, if you know all of the pieces."

"You're seriously saying that Dahlia is the new Bogeyman- no, sorry, girl?"

Emma nodded, with all seriousness. "Jack never lied."

Suddenly, something moved in the shadows, catching _everybody's _attention. There may be only twenty elites, but we are all more professional than the president's bodyguards, even if we are just gang members. We could take this mystery.

"Good job, girls, I'm proud."

This voice was familiar, but different. It surely couldn't be-

"Dahlia?" One of the girls asked.

She stepped forwards, and we all recognized her, different as she looked. We were all trained to see through disguises, after all. I dropped all professionalism and ran towards her. She looked like a bomb was going off in her brain, she was so surprised.

"Sofía? Um…. I thought you were dead."

I soured at this. "I have never been even close to dying, so stick your mouth shut before I make you."

"Hmm…" Dahlia seemed to be processing this information. "Favorite music artists? Animals? One True Love?"

I know she was mocking me with that last question, because she added a fake swoon to emphasize her point, but something dragged the correct answers out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Fall Out Boy, guinea pigs, Gabriel Balannik."

"Oh."

"That's all you have to say? Oh?" I shrieked.

But Dahlia was no longer listening. Instead she was muttering to herself. Quickly enough, though, she spun back to me and asked, "AGE?"

"Fifteen."

"So I would be twenty. That makes sense, because it's been five years since the portal, so yes, you were ten when you died in the fire, eight when you got denied, and I was thirteen then. But what if time got wonky in that portal? I hate not knowing my exact age. But my birthday was December 11, 1996."

**A/N: Props to whoever gets whose birthday that is! See if you can!**

She turned to me.

"What year is it?" She asked.

"It literally _just_ turned 2015."

She nodded her head, then turned to Emma with an almost adoring look on her face. "Hey, Emms, want to go on a trip with me? You might get to see your brother…"

Emma shook her head. "No. Jack would have been dead for over three hundred years, at this point. I was gifted immortality by a witch, but I know Jack is dead."

Dahlia raised an eyebrow. "Is your last name Overland?"

Emma nodded.

"Then come with me." Dahlia grabbed Emma's arm, and before Emma could look surprised, they both melted, literally melted, into shadows.

Tonight has been a strange night.

.:l-*-l:.

**Emma's PoV**

"Then come with me." Dahlia leaned over and grabbed my arm before I could say anything. I turned to Sofía to say goodbye, but everything went black before my eyes. I thought maybe she knocked me out, Dahlia that is, but I quickly dismissed that thought. I wouldn't be thinking if she had.

Then I had a strange thought. I had read all of the Harry Potter books, and this was strangely similar to what J.K. Rowling called "apparating." I hoped that it wasn't it, because that would completely turn my universe upside down.

I missed Jack. I remembered seeing him fall through the ice, and running back to the people in our little town to get help. But by the time people came with me, there was no hole in the ice, and a fern-like pattern covering the lake. Jack was trapped and drowned under there.

The men with pickaxes left, saying there was not a mark on the surface, and no way he could have fallen through. They thought he had run away and I was covering for him. Since they thought they couldn't handle a liar in their midst, there were discussing ways to kill me, and Jack if he ever came back. But he wouldn't, since he was dead.

After that, all I remember is some witch saving me with an immortality spell, in return for some youth, which is why I am an eternal teenager, not the child I was the day Jack drowned. Sometimes I wish I could see him again, even if I had to die to do it.

Dahlia started whispering nonsense to thin air, and I knew right then that she was a Nightmare Queen. _The_ Nightmare Queen. But she was supposedly good, so I would trust her. For now.

"Have a seat." She said, gesturing to an old plush armchair in this dark, glittery place. I didn't.

A tornado of black sand whirled into the room, with a struggling figure in its midst. The sands died down, leaving a shock of white hair on a bent-over head in its place. I couldn't see the face of the boy, who, despite the white hair, looked to be about the same age as my Jack was. No, as he _had_ _been_. In his hands was a stick. But not just any stick, no, to add insult to injury, this was _Jack's stick_. I wanted to murder his scrawny little ass for stealing my brother's stick!

The boy looked up, and I nearly fainted, because _this was my brother!_ "Jack!" I cried. He didn't hear me, though, because he didn't turn towards me. He stayed focused on Dahlia.

"What do you want, Dahlia?" His voice sounded like he had been mourning.

Then the craziest thing happened. Dahlia's hair shortened to a pixie cut, and dulled. Her eyes went from flaming to a vibrant, healthy green. She looked normal, like she should look, but utterly confused.

She started turning around, checking out the place. "Where is this? Jack? Why are you here? Hey, this looks like Pitch's place!"

Jack opened and closed his mouth, like a fish out of water. Dahlia ran over to him and gave him a bone-breaking hug, then _kissed him on the lips!_ What the hell is happening here? I must be hallucinating. Dahlia didn't kiss. She had sworn to be like Artemis, a maiden for her life.

I cleared my throat when a happy Jack and a blushing Dahlia stepped apart, but only Dahlia turned towards me.

"Overland?" She asked. "Do you know where we are?"

Jack made that fish face that I knew too well, like he was in the middle of a seizure.

I shook my head.

.:l-*-l:.

**Jack's PoV**

"Overland?" She asked. "Do you know where we are?"

Who was she talking to? I mean, my last name is Overland, but she clearly wasn't talking to me. The only other person with that last name was Emma, but she'd have died three times over by now. Aaaaannnnndddddd… the room was clearly empty. Was this another Nightmare?

I looked back, and Dahlia was talking again, hands waving wildly with every gesture she made.

"Oh, sorry, Emma, I'll remember that. Hey… you're the new girl, right?"

She was talking to my long dead sister, and she had just undergone a mental reset. She only barely remembered that we were going out. That must be why. Unless my sister was an invisible spirit?

"No? How long have you been recruited, then? What do you mean, Jack clearly can't see you- oh. I see. Sorry, no wonder they haven't found the Poisoned Lilies, you finally got that invisibility-to-spirits down? I'll see if I can undo it…"

Dahlia waved her hand in the direction of my sister, and said some words under her breath. Another girl fizzled into being, who might have been Emma. But she was so much taller, and had a giant chest, and longer hair! And her face was slightly different.

"Hi, Jack." She- the new girl- said shyly.

I pointed my stick- er, staff- at her threateningly, and said, "Prove that you're Emma!"

"Uh, you fell through ice," Everybody knows that… "Your favorite color is brown, you love climbing trees, and you had a crush on a girl named Elisa for the longest time, who also happens to be an immortal. I tried to save you, and got sentenced with execution. When I was five, I hated on you for busting my stuffed bunny and blaming me."

It was all true. Only, Dahlia knew a few more darker secrets of mine.

After she finished, there was an agitated tugging on my hoodie sleeve. I looked over and saw Dahlia, who was trying to look down the back of her shirt. "Uh, Jack? Where are my wings?"

The whole world stopped breathing. Emma clearly hadn't known, and I didn't want to just tell Dahlia that we cut them off. At least, not the way Tooth did.

.:l-*-l:.

**Dahlia's PoV**

I tried to flutter a bit. My feet were tired, and I wanted a break. But when I tried to lift off, nothing happened.

After Emma finished, I started tugging on Jack's hoodie sleeve. Jack looked over and saw me, right while I was trying to look down the back of my shirt, to see my wings. Nothing. "Uh, Jack? Where are my wings?"

He shuffled guiltily on his feet. I'd know that look anywhere. It was the one Jack wore when he was caught pranking and trying to look innocent, and failing miserably. I think North knew it almost as well as I did. I put my hands on my boyfriend's shoulders, and put him right in front of me. "Where?" I asked, completely ignoring Emma.

He sighed, defeated. "Tooth cut them off because you hit a plane. She 'conveniently' forgot you could heal yourself. I think, personally, that she wants to hoard them the way-" Whatever Jack was saying got cut off by the roar of white noise in my ears. I sank to my knees, sobbing. I was land-bound.

Jack stopped whatever he was saying and sank down so he was level with me. He didn't say anything, just silently pulled me into a hug, and we sat there like that for a while, until I was able to calm down.

I stood up, shakily, and brushed off my knees. "Well," I said, trying to be cheery, although I knew I wasn't fooling anyone. "How do we get out of here?"

A horse as black as a Nightmare came over, and I realized it_ was_ a Nightmare. I backed away as quickly as I could. Then, a voice resounded in my head.

'**Dahlia? Do you remember me? I'm Pita. You call me that because I'm often a pain in the ass. I can get all three of you out. If you want. I'm nice, I won't harm you. I promise.**' The horse had stood still during all that, but now it swung its head towards me and gave me a horsey grin.

"She says she'll take us," I said. "So let's go."


	7. Chapter 7

**There are several references in here, but one is really obvious. This is the second to last chapter, but if you liked this, don't worry. There will be a sequel.**

**DarkRose: It's okay. I really liked your ideas, and thank you for reviewing every step of the way. It really means a lot to me. In the end, her dress is like Queen Ree's, only blue.**

**CrystalQueen: Thank you, for all that you say. And yes, she never dies, but she isn't a spirit, which means she can be seen, belief or not.**

**Thank you all, review, and Salmon on, my friends!**

**Jack's PoV**

I didn't understand what was going on with Dahlia. It was like she was reset, like everything that had happened just… melted away. If we could get this effect to be permanent, then that would be great! But until then, I was stuck with a dead girl, who happens to be immortal, and memory-reset. I wouldn't dare bring my problems to North, though; his answer to everything is cookies. This isn't always a bad thing, just not what is necessary.

The horse brought us up to the surface, and dumped us down unceremoniously. We sat there for an hour, just catching our breath.

Two girls wandered by, laughing about a crazy summer, and how they defeated the evil Mr. Crendon. One slapped at the other, and was louder, and more boisterous.

They glanced over at us, lying on the floor out of exhaustion.

Then they did something unexpected. Instead of walking past like most teens this day and age would, they walked straight to us.

Most people (myself included) would have just walked by and be done with us. I mean, who picks up some scraggly hobos with multiple cuts? It must be my charm.

Except… I was invisible. Yes, right. Of course, spending so much time with people who can see, it can kind of make a person forget.

Poor me. I was left all alone, to hoist myself up, with no one to help me.

The girls grabbed Dahlia's and Emma's arms, and helped pull them up to their feet. The one who was now hanging off Dahlia's arm introduced herself as Kayeli, and called the other, 'a boring land-shark who calls itself Everly.' I didn't know what to say to that, so I just sat there.

The girls all started walking away, and as Dahlia got further and further from me, she slowly started turning back into Obscurité, each step lengthening her hair and graying her skin. The other girls surrounding her were trying to strike up a conversation again. It looked like Everly opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get anything out, she, Kayeli, and Emma all dropped simultaneously, unconscious.

I had to get over to Obscurité before she caused any more harm, but I was still out of breath. I tried gasping out her name to catch her attention, but all that came out were weak little grunts.

That must have done the trick, though, because she whirled towards me.

"Jack Frost? You're still alive?" She laughed. "You certainly are hard to get rid of."

She took two steps forwards, and frowned. It seemed she was having an internal battle. After a good three minutes, she seemed to lurch forwards again, but not intentionally. I almost laughed; the look on her face made her look like she had constipation. Dahlia must be fighting her in her head!

Then she walked forwards, slowly and unsteadily. Every step, she returned more like Dahlia and moved faster, until she was right on top of me and all Dahlia.

"Jack? Are you all right? Hey, where's Emma?" She asked.

I could barely point, but I did. She helped me stand up, and together we went over and picked them up. Kayeli screamed (still asleep).

"Dahlia, we have to get them to the pole. Maybe Sandy can help. I would take them, but, I don't even have enough energy to make a snowball right now."

She grinned, that same enchanting smile that held so many secrets behind it. Only, now I knew what those secrets were. "Time to pull in a favor." Well, most of them.

She whistled, long and hard, that if she were in New York, every taxi within a five-mile radius would hear her.

Nothing happened for several minutes, and I almost started to wonder if that was just a trick to make my ears bleed out.

The flapping of wings was overhead, and I looked up to see three pegasi landing right next to us. A midnight black one trotted up to her, and nuzzled her forehead. Was this a new form of Nightmare? But it couldn't be, because the other pegasi weren't black.

"Hey, hey, I know, but after this, you guys are done with me! And no, you don't get donuts, Blackjack. Maybe, _maybe,_ cookies, if you take us where we need to be, as fast as possible."

She turned towards me. "Jack, meet Blackjack, Guido, and Porkchop. Pegasi, meet Jack. And no, I don't speak horse; I just know them _really_ well."

We each got on. I shared the black one with Emma, Dahlia was with Kayeli on the one named Guido, and Everly was alone on hers. I hoped the horse had enough sense not to let her fall off.

We touched down right outside the main building of the North Pole, and we dismounted, carrying the occasionally screaming girls. The first time one of them screamed, Porkchop nearly dropped Everly. It was actually pretty funny.

Dahlia led them inside with the sleeping girls on one's back (I'd forgotten names already).

It was as silent as a tomb in there, with not even elves to trip us. Our footsteps were really loud, and there was a thin layer of dust.

A Pegasus sneezed.

I had regained energy over the flight, and was well enough that my anxiety started making light snowfall appear. Now the floor was cold, wet, and dusty, and was quickly turning into muddy ice, due to the dropping temperature.

One of the pegasi directed a horse-comment Dahlia's way. Surprisingly, she answered. "Well, he is, so get used to it. You didn't mind flying him over, did you?"

Didn't Dahlia say she couldn't understand them?

Something was going on here, and I wasn't sure I liked it.

"_Well, of course you wouldn't."_ A voice eerily like Pitch's resounded through the room. The flying horses whinnied, and huddled closer together in a protective circle. _"But then, the famous _Jack Frost_ never likes anything that doesn't have snow involved."_

Who the hell was this person?

Dahlia dropped to the floor, clutching her head like it was about to break open. She started screaming, and the horses fell over like they were dead.

What the hell is going on?

Dahlia kept screaming, and her hands slowly turned black, the black crawling up her arm like a long glove being unrolled. Everywhere the black touched went limp.

It spread across her whole body, slowly infecting every part of her.

"_Rain, rain, go away." _A childlike voice began singing, the room echoing it with creepy accuracy.

"_Come again another day,"_ The black peeled off Dahlia, and a motionless body lay still on the ground. It was Dahlia, but she wasn't even breathing. The black took on a human shape, but right about eye level, twin flames looked out.

"_One would wonder why she ever truly loved Jack. He has no personality, no looks. And he screws up EVERYTHING_." The voice seemed to be coming from the black.

It picked up Dahlia bridal-style, and with even no facial expression, it was clear that it cared for her, or her dead body.

"_I would be so much better. Why, Jack, are you wondering who I am? Let me give you a hint: Dahlia never truly became a spirit."_ This creep made no sense.

It sighed. "_Do I have to spell this out for you? Sit down, this might take a while. It was easy for me to hold on to my spirit life long enough to use Dahlia as my vessel. Her soul has already long since moved on. If you try, you might find her. Anyways, after she died, you, let's put this nicely, obliterated me. My physical (or as physical as you can get as a spirit) body dissolved, but I hung on, waiting for a new one. Well, Dahlia was already dead, but I became obscurity, and that became my new body. Nobody knew the difference._" Half way through its speech, it had started stroking Dahlia's hair, while a small red dot slowly expanded in the middle of her shirt.

My eyes grew. This couldn't possibly be, "Pitch?"

"_Well guessed, Jack! Give the man, sorry, boy, a prize._" He sneered.

"What happened to everybody else?" I asked. Then I noticed black lumps hanging from the ceiling, like giant cocoons. One had a set of bunny ears peeking out the bottom.

"Okay, that's just sick."

Giant wisps trailed down, like mist was pooling from them, only to be sucked away like a vacuum. A vacuum named Pitch.

I was starting to agree with Kayeli. Land-sharks did exist. I was staring straight at one. And, as everybody knows, the only way to get rid of them is to punch it in the nose. Which I did, with vigor. Take that!

The cocoons vanished because of Pitch's distraction. The Guardians tumbled down, while Bunny hit his head. I snorted, but silently, and to the left. What?

Pitch dropped Dahlia, and something cracked. He grimaced, his face slowly coming into focus from his previous silhouette. He reached down, and picked her up in a protective embrace, tighter than before.

North made a face like he was going to barf, and I pitied him, but felt extremely angry. It should be me holding her like that, not Pitch! Even if she was dead.

The other Guardians must have noticed the ever-growing crimson spot on Dahlia's Rainbow Dash-aholic t-shirt and my tears, and put two and two together. Bunny pulled out his boomerangs and pointed them threateningly. At Pitch, not me, but I didn't care.

Pitch gently set her down this time, but as he was bending, four different weapons hit him at once. Well, three and Tooth's wings. But those were pretty darn sharp when necessary.

She dropped, an inch only this time, and Pitch's back was going to gain some new scars. He bled, but straightened. One hit, and he stumbled. Another, and he was down on hands and knees. Again, and he collapsed. The last hit dissolved him into ashes, and Dahlia didn't miraculously heal this time. Pitch was gone. For good, hopefully.

Yetis came ambling out of nooks and crannies, elves tumbling at their feet. Sandy touched Kayeli and Everly, and their breathing evened. The pegasi got up on shaking feet, and departed to take them home. I'd like to say that everything was alright, but it wasn't.

Dahlia was still dead, too far gone for Manny to do anything to help. No amount of wishes would save her, no amount of lucky stars would hide the wound from a lethal sand-arrow.

Tooth came up to me, and told me that a funeral would be held tomorrow night, at dusk, Dahlia's favorite time. Then she left, leaving me all alone with a slowly-freezing body. But after all, the cold never bothered me anyways.

.:l-*-l:.

Tomorrow came, and then night had started to fall. I slowly stood up on stiff knees, and picked up Dahlia. I left my staff behind, not daring to fly with such a precious treasure in my arms..

She was truly beautiful, and when we stepped outside and the flaming light of the sinking sun hit her face, she lit up and seemed as if any number of princes would fall for her. She was wearing a thin strapped blue dress, which glittered like a million baby suns were embedded in it. It was duller at the top, but the lower the dress went, the thicker the blue sparkles were, and they appeared to be moving, always changing, sinking. It was fit for a queen.

The last rays of the sun caught the ring that was always on her left hand. Tooth had made a special box for her to rest in. It was made of vines, still alive and weaving together to create a protective embrace. We laid her in it, and soon vines curled over her face, and the whole thing sank about a foot into the snow.

"I… Well, I… Dahlia was always the light of my life. A beacon that glowed, and brought me to her. Sure, I was surprised, when she saw me, and she showed me her wings. It's not every day you meet someone like that. Her smile always managed to convey more than her words ever could, and I miss that sparkle of mischief in her eyes. Even in the darkness, she could light up a room. She left an impact on everyone here, and I hope that it is deep enough never to be forgotten. She used to tell me that whatever prank we pulled on someone, left a taste like Cheetos in her mouth. And it's all the little things that make up a person, and she had more little things than all of us." I sat down.

Everything everyone else said just flew over my head, and before I knew it, I was left all alone with a vine blanket. It felt like a wall between us. I just wanted to snatch her up, and fly away, and make sure she never died. As a last gift to her, I grabbed some snow and spread it over her vines. The ice froze instantly, giving the vines a shine and a strength. I then hand dug out six feet, and put her coffin in it. I replaced the ice, and with the Wind's help, it looked as if no one had ever been out in this desolate wasteland North calls home.

I slowly made my way back up to the buildings, but only North was there.

I was too emotionally wrought out to ask where everyone was, but he seemed to guess what I was thinking anyways.

"They all went to do their jobs. After being here for so long, they needed to get back on track." Was all he said to me.

I trudged through this maze, pausing only to grab my staff, and made it up to my guest room. It was coated in ice and the temperatures were freezing, so it was as far away from everyone else as possible. For once, I liked it.

Until North came bursting in, ruining my solitude.

"You might see Dahlia again."


	8. Chapter 8

**Last chapter! Okay, so I know that this chapter is really short, but I needed to get this out and finished. This story is done! A new one (Which will actually be much longer overall) will be up soon, so don't lose faith in me!**

**CrystalQueen: Yes, She might! Yeah, the whole Pitch thing is creepy.**

**DarkRose: Yeah, I wanted to see how many people got that… No, her hair is still short, although that might change.**

"HOW?" Was the first thing to leave my lips. The first thought I had was: Dahlia's long gone. How is is possible? She literally has no soul, and her body is breathless and six feet under.

"Well, it turns out that Dahlia is a dimensional-jumper. That ability is very rare, and the only kind of person who is immortal."

At this point, I wanted to jump in, and tell North that if she was immortal, then why did we have a funeral for her? But I also wanted to hear whatever he had to say, so I just sat there and shut up, hearing out what he had to say.

"Any time one of them dies in one world, they jump over to a new one. And they always look almost the same, although maybe slightly different to suit the situation. Of course, at different ages, without memories. You can be guaranteed that Dahlia is somewhere, and always will be and has been."

"So how do we find her?" I asked. Any chance to see Dahlia was a chance I was going to take, no matter the risk.

"That… is where it gets tricky. Tooth says that maybe the tooth box would change colors. "

And it was at that exact moment that Tooth herself burst in, slamming the double doors back wide.

"THE BOX!" Tooth appeared to be in hysterics. Of course, each tooth was precious to her, let alone a whole box.

She held it out, and I leaned over to see what colors. It was striped with red, gold, silver, green, purple, white, black, and yellow. I had no idea what any of that meant, but it held some weight with North, because he sat back and groaned.

He turned to me and dragged me into his little office thing, then began to rummage around on his shelves for something of use.

He passed a little vial labelled "EMERGENCY" to me and said "Drink this."

And, as the ever growing curiosity tended to do, made me ask, "What does it do?"

"It will let you jump back and forth between this world and the other one, and you will lose that invisibility to non-believers. "

Oh. Well, that seemed helpful.

I finished it all in one gulp, and sat back, waiting for the effects to start.

The world began swirling, and North called out to me, "Find Severus and ask him to refill the Lost-Place, and come back when you figure out where she lives!"

Then everything went back.


End file.
